Champions Carnforth make great start to new season

Champions Carnforth began the new Westmorland Cricket League season with a win at home to Westgate at the weekend.

Westgate were in a strong position after finishing on 166 all out, with Dylan Conroy making an attacking 73 from 54 balls before wickets began to fall as Alex Benson (3-12) shackled the lower order.

Chris Parry (77no) and Ryan Nelson (29) started positively and an aggressive 36 from Tom Parkinson ensured that the target was reached before the rain came.

Arnside (248-5) beat Milnthorpe (46) by a massive 202 runs.

Adam Richardson (103) scored one of the day’s two centuries, hitting 13 fours and five sixes, before debutant James Rafferty (5-15) led the rout with his opening partner, Adam Cowperthwaite (4-17).

Joe Oliver’s career best figures of 6-21 helped dismiss Silverdale for 85 and despite Jon Mason taking two early wickets, an 81-run unbroken third wicket stand between Tom Jacques (40no) and Joe Cunliffe (26no) delivered the 12 points for Shireshead.

Warton’s formidable bowling attack reduced Sedgwick to 4-3 before former Burneside captain Lee Tattersall (37) almost single-handedly took his new club to an opening day four wickets win.

His former club denied Trimpell (42) a successful return to Division One with Darren Nightingale (7-21) to the fore, recording the day’s best bowling figures before knocking off the target in less than six overs in his opening partnership with Jack Thwaites as Burneside won by 10 wickets.

The other 100 was at Holme where Sam Calverley scored an explosive 108 not out, with his ton coming from just 43 balls.

He received good support from Sam McClements (63) and Andy Powers (54) as Heysham scored 269-7 and had Holme on the ropes at 66-6 before the rain arrived, meaning both sides took six points from the game.